I think all of us dog lovers know that dogs cheer you up. But this story in my local paper really caught my attention.

It is a story about how Ella Moon’s dog Girtie bringing more cheer to her life than the Playstation or family computer. You can check the story about Girtie here

I would love to hear from you about how your dog is bringing more fun to the family. Drop us a comment so we can all read about it……

I just came across a post by Ben about an article the Atlantic Monthly posted.

You can find the article at http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/199907/dog-genetics/. It has some really interesting information on dog genetics, where dogs came from and how they ended up in our homes.

I am sure you will enjoy.

ManyWhen a dog refuses to eat or eats only a portion of what he needs or what he usually eats every day, this will also produce a deficiency. The term Anorexia is used to describe the condition when a dog refuses to eat. Many dog owners take their dog’s eating for granted until the dog actually stops eating.

A dog’s eating habits are normally controlled by hunger, appetite, and the satisfaction of these two. This control may be abnormally affected by emotions, sensations, or the taste of the food. Another thing that causes a disturbance of the dog’s natural eating behavior is mechanical interruption. Broken jaws, a fish hook in the tongue or a rubber ball stuck in the throat are typical examples of mechanical anorexia.

A lot of dog owners think that it is normal for all dogs to miss a meal and that a missed meal is not something to be concerned about. However, a healthy dog is always hungry at meal time, just as a healthy person is. Any time a dog refuses to eat, it is a signal to you that something is not right. If the dog refuses two meals in a row, you can be certain that there is something wrong, either with your dog or with his food.

Obviously, a dog gradually losses weight once he stops eating. A 20 lb Beagle will lose 0.4 pound (six and one-half ounces) each day he refuses to eat. This weight loss occurs because the dog is breaking down and using up his own body. Since there are no nutrients coming in, a dog with anorexia must literally burn itself up in order to obtain the energy and nutrients needed for his essential life functions. When extra demands from disease are piled on those suffering from anorexia, the burn-up is even faster. That Beagle cannot afford to lose ½ lb of his body weight every day for very long!

Included within the weight lost will be fats, carbohydrates and protein. The most important loss to a dog is protein. By the end of only two days of anorexia, that 20 lb Beagle will already have lost about 3% of his total body protein. This becomes increasingly important if one considers that protein is essential not only for normal metabolism but for wound healing, tissue repair and combating infections. Actions to replace the intake of anorectic dogs should be implemented immediately. Unwillingness or failure to overcome the deficiencies of calories and nutrients created by anorexia can mean the difference between recovery and death during an illness.

The same diet the dog was eating before anorexia is suitable, as long as the cause of the anorexia does not make it unsuitable. Because dogs become inactive with anorexia, their calorie need is somewhat less than for most dogs. If they have a fever, however, this rapidly increases their caloric requirements.

Dogs with anorexia must be force-fed either by spoon feeding or by intragastric intubation. This type of diet should be fed only long enough to get a dog back to eating satisfactorily on his own and should never become a substitute for actually determining the cause of the anorexia or for overcoming that cause.

Commercially available fresh or canned meats are usually lamb, poultry and beef. Lamb is the most easily digested meat, then poultry and beef. Whether fresh, frozen or canned, meat should always be fed lean, not fatty. There is a wide variety of commercially prepared canned meat on the market. The best products developed as complementary additions for biscuit are meat and meat by-products. The ingredients’ list will show little or no cereal content, and no food coloring additives.

Make certain that the fresh meat you feed is low in fat. Place the meat in a bowl, allowing it to stand until it reaches room temperature, then knead it as if mixing a meat loaf. Is the residue on your fingers only slightly oily or fatty, just enough to give your fingers a little “shine”? Or are there actual large globules of fat on and between your fingers? If the former is the case, you have a good quality meat. If you find your fingers encased with the latter condition, change your brand of dog meat.

Commercially canned and some fresh and fresh-frozen meat for pets contain additives. Usually charcoal, a natural ingredient aiding digestion, is found among these additives. Meat purchased directly from the butcher is normally meat alone, meat trimmings and, in less reputable establishments, floor sweepings. The meat you add to your dog’s diet should be a balanced product by itself. Even a mediocre canned dog food will contain a higher nutritional value than bad, fatty meat. Dogs living in very cold climates require additional fat in the diet to produce a high caloric output. Calories processed by the body produce heat.

Check the color and odor of your dog’s meat. Whatever type (fresh or defrosted frozen), it should be moderately bright in color. It should not appear darkened, black or crusty. Nor should the meat appear weakly colored, or look as though food coloring had been added, making it artificially red. Place the meat on a dish and check the “blood” collected at the bottom. The meat should be richly dark in color with an invitingly fresh scent, not rancid of odor. If the meat you feed does not meet these standards, find another brand.

Simply because a canned food is expensive does not necessarily mean it is good. Meat should be palatable and nutritious. Some readily available products have little nutritional value. Foods that look palatable to you, and that your dog relishes, are not always the best to feed. Some of these canned products list, for example, carrots, peas and corn, which unprocessed are completely not digestible.

Cooked or raw, these vegetables exit your dog’s system in the same recognizable form by which they entered. Also try to avoid those cans that have a high amount of cereal content, artificial food coloring and water. Some canned foods are approximately 70% water! This narrows your choice on your grocer’s shelf. Generally select the commercially prepared foods packaged by reputable companies which are available nationwide.

Check out our dog treat recipes at www.dogtreatrecipes.com.au

Creating a holiday tree that is both beautiful to look at for you and unattractive to your dog is a special challenge. Here are some suggestions to keep your tree pet-friendly.

1. Tree water at the base of live trees can be harmful if preservative chemicals have been added to prolong the life of the tree. Keep your dog from drinking the water by covering the tree basin with foil or a tree skirt.

2. Place dog-safe ornaments near the bottom of the tree in case your dog decides to use the ornaments as playthings.

3. Tie up loose electrical cords of the lights used to decorate the tree and keep them concealed by attaching them with wire or cord to the trunk of the tree. End-to-end lights eliminate individual cords dangling from the tree that might entice your dog to chew them.

4. If you have lots of tree lights that are not end to end, purchase a power strip in which to plug the lights. Attach the strip to the tree trunk at a level that is higher than the height of your dog. As a result, you will have only one heavy-duty power cord running from the tree to the outlet instead of several flimsy cords from single strings of lights.

5. To prevent your dog from knocking over your holiday tree, anchor it with cord or wire to the ceiling directly above the tree’s trunk. Don’t attach it with wire to a wall behind the tree because your dog could get caught in the wire if be darts behind the tree.

6. Spray the tower branches of the tree with bitter apple, cinnamon, lemon, eucalyptus, or other unappealing scents.

7. Hang your ornaments with ribbons rather than hooks to keep your dog from accidentally swallowing something that could get lodged in his throat.

8. Do not use tinsel or angel hair on your tree. Angel hair, made of glass fiber, and tinsel, made of metal, can cause internal damage if your dog swallows any.

9. Avoid decorating your tree with strings of berries or other edible ornaments – many are harmful if swallowed. The string on which they are attached can cause damage to your dog’s intestines if swallowed, and a dog, eager to get to the “treats,” could knock over the tree.

10. If you like, decorate a small, artificial tree for your dog with items he will find appealing, such as doggie biscuits and dog toys. Hide the tree until you are ready for your dog to open his presents.